Many young trainers wait a long time for their first success at Group level but former jump jockey turned trainer David O’Meara has already ticked that box in the first year of his training career courtesy of Blue Bajan winning the Henry II Stakes at Sandown.
That is unlikely to be his last pattern race success either and his progress is remarkable for a young man who actually only took out a training licence a year ago. He took over the reins from James Hetherton at Arthington Barn Stables in June 2010 and although he rode over the jumps he will be concentrating on the flat. Those placing horse bets should keep a close eye on him.
Based in North Yorkshire he is proving a real dab hand at improving other trainers’ cast-offs and he is just one short of recording 50 winners on the flat. The majority of his winners at the moment have come from older horses -15 of his winners were aged four and older last year and that is still the pattern this year with 21 winners coming from that same age group. There is a good reason for those results and that particular skew towards the older horses and its best explained by the stable buying policy. Being a new stable finances are understandably tight and at the moment they don’t have huge sums to spend on two year-olds and are much better off working their magic with horses which come to them either with problems or a workable handicap mark.
Some of the stables horses that would fall into that category are Mont Ras, already twice a winner for the stable, Count Bertoni, War Poet and El Torbellino – all of those have potential to be far better than their current handicap marks.
Jockeys can play a huge part in the development of a stable and O’Meara has two of the best at his disposal – Silvestre De Sousa is now firmly entrenched in the UK’s top 10 jockeys and he has a 22% strike rate for the stable and he is backed up by Danny Tudhope. Tudhope was one of the leading apprentices a couple of years ago but suffered a few setbacks but his association with the O’Meara yard has provided him with new impetus of late and he has a 24% strike rate for the stable. One other notable booking for the yard is the amateur Serena Brotherton who is 2 for 2 with the stable and is a booking worth noting by anyone looking for horse racing tips.
All in all the David O’Meara yard has burst on the scene and looks set to stay and we think they will pay to follow in the coming months and years.
Very useful information and stats,could help improve the present portfolio.Will keep an eye on this particular yard….thank you
A very interesting post, for which much thanks.
David has certainly started his career very well and is on the upgrade. Silvestre de Sousa is now riding for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operartion. He is the strongest jockey in the country and has finished second in the jockeys title in 2011 and 2012. He is a surefire Champion jockey in the future.